Olympics chief in 'birthday' meeting with Putin aide

PYEONGCHANG

Olympics chief Thomas Bach met an aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of a decision about lifting Russia's Games ban — but mainly to wish him happy birthday, a spokesman said Thursday.

Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), met Igor Levitin for about four minutes during the Pyeongchang Winter Games on Wednesday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.

The meeting came as the IOC ponders whether to lift Russia's suspension from the Olympics, imposed in December over a major drugs scandal, in time for Russian athletes to carry the national flag at Sunday's closing ceremony.

Separately, a source told AFP that Russia has paid its $15 million (Sh1.5 billion) fine to the IOC for the doping controversy, and a Russian curler was stripped of his bronze medal after admitting a doping charge.

"It was I believe a four-minute meeting. It was (Levitin's) birthday and I believe the main content was the president wishing him a happy birthday," Adams said.

Asked whether it was a coincidence that the curler, Alexander Krushelnitsky, had decided not to contest his anti-doping charge, Adams said: "You can make that conclusion."

Levitin, a senior figure in table tennis and Russia's former transport minister, was appointed as Putin's presidential aide in 2013. He turned 66 on Wednesday.

All officials from Russia's sports ministry were barred from the Games over the drugs scandal, while Russian Vice President Vitaly Mutko, the former sports minister, was banned for life.

Despite their team's suspension, Russia were allowed to send 168 athletes to compete as neutrals in Pyeongchang, after they were passed clean following rigorous testing.

However, Krushelnitsky tested positive for the endurance booster meldonium, raising questions about the pre-Games testing and the decision to let Russian athletes compete.

The 25-year-old initially expressed shock over the positive drugs test and welcomed a Russian investigation, while officials hinted at possible sabotage.

But on Wednesday, Krushelnitsky said he was withdrawing from his hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which announced Thursday that he had been provisionally suspended and stripped of his medal.

"The athlete has admitted the anti-doping rule violation; he is disqualified from the mixed doubles curling event," the court said in a statement.

The Russian situation, stemming from systemic doping culminating at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, overshadowed the build-up to Pyeongchang and also looks set to dominate debate at the conclusion of the Games.

Adams said Thursday that the IOC has the option of "partially" lifting Russia's suspension, although how that would be implemented at the closing ceremony is unclear.

An implementation panel is due to make a recommendation to the IOC's executive board, which is meeting on Saturday ahead of an IOC Session on Sunday.